If you typed "Michael Vick" into the search engine on Nike's website yesterday, you found several pairs of shoes, two T-shirts and a jersey carrying the alleged animal abuser and Atlanta Falcons quarterback's name.

Do the same thing today and you'll find a screen with the heading, "Sorry, we found no product matches for your search."

Another move by Nike to back away from the football star accused of running a dogfighting venture?

"It is a curiosity," said Kathy Covey, a former Oregon resident and current spokesperson for the Humane Society of the United States. Covey said a Nike official told the society that it had not stopped selling Vick product.

Nike spokesman Derek Kent said: "We're not offering further comment beyond (yesterday's) statement." Late this afternoon, the company issued an updated statement: "We respect the right of people to express their views on this issue and reiterate our strong opposition to animal cruelty and dog fighting. Nike¹s position remains the same as stated yesterday."